PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Oct. 7, 2009) — Rep. David Day, who lives in Dixon and represents most of Pulaski County in the Missouri House of Representatives, announced Monday that he will seek re-election in 2010.

Missouri adopted term limits which took effect six years ago and forced Day’s predecessor, then-Rep. Bill Ransdall, to retire from office; Ransdall is now the Pulaski County Presiding Commissioner, a position that has no term limits. Members of the Missouri House of Representatives may seek election to a total of four two-year terms; members of the Missouri State Senate may seek election for only two four-year terms.

Day won his first election in 2004 following a four-way Republican primary and defeated the sole Democratic candidate, Clara Ichord, during a hotly contested general election race. He’s won re-election by wide margins since, defeating a Crocker Democrat in 2006 and facing no Democratic opposition in 2008. No Democrats or Republicans have yet declared they plan to run against him in 2010.

Day’s decision to run for re-election to the State House of Representatives means he won’t be running as a Republican against State Sen. Frank Barnitz, the incumbent Democrat from the rural Dent County community of Lake Spring, who was first elected in a special 2005 election when State Sen. Sarah Steelman from Rolla, a Republican, resigned her seat after winning election as the Missouri State Treasurer. Barnitz was re-elected in 2006 to a full four-year term and will be eligible to run again in 2010, but hasn’t yet announced whether he will seek re-election. If Barnitz wins re-election in 2010, he won’t be able to run again when his term expires in 2014.

Early announcements of re-election plans are unusual but not unheard of. U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton has already announced that he’ll be seeking re-election. In his Monday announcement, Day said he wanted to make his intentions known to avoid misunderstandings and rumors.

“After many discussions with my family and making this decision as a family, I wanted to announce my intentions to seek re-election. I feel that the citizens of the 148th District deserve to know what my intentions are and it will also help address some of the rumors that are starting to surface, as they do with any campaign,” Day said in a prepared statement. “This will be my last campaign for State Representative, and while I don't know what the future holds for me politically, I do know I have the best job in the world, representing the people of the 148th District, a job I hope people will allow me to continue for two more years.”

Day said his official re-election announcement will be made at a kick-off speech on Dec. 4 at the Hampton Inn in St. Robert. He said he wants to continue to be a “conservative voice” in the legislature.

Legislative accomplishments cited by Day in his prepared statement include protection of Second Amendment rights on gun ownership, pro-life legislation, tax cuts for retirees, legislation to help Missouri veterans, funding for rural schools, legislation to aid law enforcement, funding for the Waynesville Career Center, and legislation to cut waste and fraud from state government. According to the House of Representatives website, Day chairs the House Veterans Committee, serves as vice-chair of the State Parks and Waterways Committee, and serves on the House Special Standing Committee on General Laws, the House Special Standing Committee on Professional Registration and Licensing, and the Joint Committee on Terrorism, Bioterrorism and Homeland Security.

Day, 46, is a farmer and cattle rancher outside Dixon whose wife is a teacher in the Dixon R-I School District. He served 13 years on the Missouri Farm Bureau board of directors and served in numerous agricultural and state governmental roles prior to his 2004 election. He’s an Army veteran but not a retiree, having served three years on active duty in the field artillery at Fort Stewart in Georgia from 1981 to 1984.